In a dual expression of his pastoral mission, Pope Leo XIV addressed significant words to both the Ukrainian faithful and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. On the one hand, he received a group of pilgrims from Ukraine in audience; on the other, he sent a fraternal message on the occasion of the feast of Saint Bartholomew, patron saint of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

During the meeting with the Ukrainian pilgrims, the Pontiff expressed with simplicity and firmness: “I share your pain.” In a context still marked by suffering and violence, Leo XIV reiterated his spiritual closeness and his prayer for peace, urging them not to give in to despair and to trust in God’s consolation. “Our faith does not leave us alone in affliction: Christ is present on your journey of the cross,” the Pope said.

In parallel, his message to the Ecumenical Patriarchate emphasized his desire for the “restoration of full communion between our Churches.” Recalling the path taken since the historic meeting between Paul VI and Athenagoras, Leo XIV called for keeping alive the spirit of dialogue and fraternity, overcoming obstacles with humility and charity. “Unity is not a strategy, but a faithful response to Jesus’ prayer: that all may be one,” he wrote.

With these two interventions, Leo XIV confirmed the direction of his pontificate: close to human suffering and firmly committed to reconciliation among Christians. Peace, both in the hearts of nations and within the Church, remains his priority.